World AIDS Day: Get tested for HIV at railway stations in Mumbai

World AIDS Day is just around the corner. The observance of this day on December 01 is an important reminder that there is still a lot which has to be done in India, for tackling the dreadful spectre of HIV-AIDS. This year’s theme for World AIDS Day, which will be marking its 30th anniversary on December 01, will be ‘Know your status’

Keeping this in mind, the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), has decided to start a three day programme in order to help people become aware about their HIV status.

This will help them know whether they have infected by the deadly virus or not. This is important as many a times, people avoid getting tested for HIV-AIDS, even their family physician has asked them to get several other diagnostic tests done to rule out factors which might be causing the person to fall sick.

Now, in collaboration with the railways, the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) is going to set-up kiosks and also carry out the HIV test, so that people can finally know if they are a risk of being HIV positive (+).

This is crucial and that is why this idea has been declared as the theme of this World Aids Day. This year’s theme for World AIDS Day, which will be marking its 30th anniversary on December 01, will be ‘Know your status.’

And it is important for each and every individual to know what their HIV status is. It is also the right of the patient to have access to diagnostic facilities and affordable treatment.

While speaking to My Medical Mantra, Dr Shrikala Acharya, additional project director of Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS), said, “In order to raise awareness about the disease and also to see to it that people come forward for HIV testing, this programme has been launched at six railway stations, on the Western, Central and Harbour lines. The testing facilities will be available in CSTM (VT), Dadar, Kurla, Bandra, Borivali, and Andheri.”

She added, “Our aim behind this is to normalise HIV testing and reduced the stigma attached to it. This programme will start from Dec 03 to Dec 05. In December, the test will be available for a week for Rs 75 at Metropolis laboratories in Mumbai.”

She concluded saying, “In this test, just a drop of blood from as person’s finger will be required, and they will get the tests reports with 20-25 minutes.”